


Flower Child

by mirae (mi_rae)



Category: The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: Babies, Family, Family Fluff, Flowers, M/M, Mentions of Violence, Mentions of homophobia, Slow Build, Slow Burn, babies born from seeds, yes that’s a thing now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:14:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24407116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mi_rae/pseuds/mirae
Summary: Jaehyun yearns for the feeling of a family again. Because of his love for children he decides to get a Flower Child, babies who grow from seed to human child.
Relationships: Choi Chanhee | New/Lee Jaehyun | Hyunjae, Heo Hyunjoon | Hwall & Lee Jaehyun | Hyunjae
Comments: 30
Kudos: 84





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> no beta so this is currently going through the process of being edited. i apologize for any mistakes. enjoy <3

Jaehyun’s leg shook up and down as he sat in the waiting room. Juyeon sat next to him, scrolling through his phone, before placing a hand on the other’s knee. The shaking halted, only for Jaehyun to begin worrying at his bottom lip.

“Stop panicking so much. Relax. The fact that you’re here means everything is going fine.”

Juyeon was right. This was Jaehyun’s second meeting with the placement doctor. It meant that he had been approved after the first meeting and was one step closer to having his own seedling. His own baby. Jaehyun felt warm just at the thought of it. He loved children, loved their innocence and that they were pure and lovely and could do no wrong. He loved their wonder and curiosity and their overall  _ cuteness.  _ In his line of work Jaehyun dealt with kids almost everyday, helping them find families, sometimes even helping them leave them. 

Social work was not easy. In his seven years of working he had seen families get torn apart and others being pieced back together. Sometimes it hurt him so bad to see everything happen, and other times it made him so extremely happy. Overall it showed Jaehyun how important love and a family were. He wanted a family so bad.

Things became hard after his mother had died. Jaehyun was too young to even remember it but he did remember the times when he heard his father cry, or the times when they went to visit her. Jaehyun’s father had raised him all alone, never remarrying, never even going on a date. He had the occasional help from his parents to take care of a young Jaehyun, when he had to work late to earn more money to give Jaehyun a comfortable life. Jaehyun’s father was his rock, his everything, so it hurt particularly bad when he had passed away the year before. The doctor had said he had passed peacefully in his sleep, so that gave Jaehyun a little closure. But now, he was all alone. No biological family, no aunts or uncles or cousins that he was close to. He was extremely glad to have his friends, they cared for him as if he was their blood, but it wasn’t the same. His father’s death had left a hole in his heart he so badly wanted to mend.

So when it came time to visit Jacob and Kevin and meet their son, Jaehyun knew exactly what he wanted. Seeing the couple so happy with a baby in their arms almost brought Jaehyun to tears.  _ I want a child. I want a family again.  _ He craved the happiness only a family could share. He missed the way it felt.

And so that was how Jaehyun ended up in the facility awaiting his seedling. His child.

The doctor called his name and Jaehyun began to sweat.  _ Fuck _ , he was nervous. He began tapping his toes against the linoleum floors and Juyeon, being the extremely good and perceptive best friend he was, grabbed Jaehyun's hand and softly asked, “Do you want me to come in with you?” The blond nodded slightly and Juyeon led him into the private consultation room. 

Dr. Jo smiled at Jaehyun and Juyeon. She was a slight woman with long black hair and large eyes behind her thin-rimmed glasses. Jaehyun found her to be extremely calming when she smiled, which was helpful during these times when he felt as though his heart was going to beat out of his chest. The two men sat down in front of her and she greeted them promptly.

“Hello Mr. Lee,” she turned to Juyeon and he introduced himself to her, shaking her hand. Dr. Jo looked between the two men before starting. “Sorry I have no intention to intrude, however if you two are together it does change a few things about your application Mr. Lee.”

Jaehyun tried his best to hold in his laugh. “Oh no Dr. Jo. Juyeon is only a friend. Here for moral support.” The woman nodded before returning to her computer and pulling up his file. Jaehyun smiled to himself. If things had gone a little different years ago, would Juyeon be sitting next to him as more than just his best friend? The two had tried it a few years back, Jaehyun was so helplessly in love with the younger. However, it was clear to him that the other did not completely return his feelings. Juyeon loved Jaehyun of course, loved him so much, but only as his best friend. Though Juyeon being the wonderful and considerate boyfriend he was, stayed with Jaehyun. Jaehyun had called their relationship off when it became evident that the younger was far more in love with his dance partner than he was with his best friend. Jaehyun thinks he’ll always be ever so slightly in love with Juyeon, but what was the use of being with someone that couldn’t reciprocate your feelings for them?

“So Mr. Lee, we’ve selected a seedling for you.” The doctor’s smile was warm and gentle and that only made Jaehyun want to sob even more. He could feel the tears building up in his eyes as they turned glassy and he gripped at Juyeon’s hand tightly. Dr. Jo continued. “He is a blue hyacinth and his name is Hyunjun.”

“He— He has a name,” Jaehyun breathed out. A tear escaped his eye and ran down his cheek. Jaehyun was having a son, and he had a name.  _ Hyunjun.  _

Dr. Jo printed out a few documents before placing them on the desk. “Here are some care instructions. Things like where to keep the plant, when to water it, how often to give it food. Please study this, as the care you put into the child while they are still a plant will reflect when they are human.” Jaehyun nodded and swallowed thickly. He knew how much responsibility there had to be put into taking care of a child but hearing it come of Dr. Jo’s mouth put it all into perspective. She must have seen Jaehyun’s mind running 100 miles per minute because she grabbed Jaehyun’s hand from across the desk and smiled that smile that could calm a raging storm. “I wouldn’t worry too much, Mr. Lee. I can tell that you’re going to be an amazing father.”

The reassurance helped in calming Jaehyun and he took the documents off the desk and began reading them over. “I also see here that you’ve requested a care assistant.”

Jaehyun had almost forgotten about that. Since it would only be him taking care of the child, the extra help would be greatly appreciated. He nodded and Dr. Jo continued. “We’ve also selected one for you. Unfortunately he’s not in today but you will be able to meet him next week for pickup. His name is Choi Chanhee and he is very trusted. If you’d like I can pull up his work file.”

“No, no. There’s no need. I trust the judgement around here.” Jaehyun chucked slightly.

“Well, his work number is included in your care documents so if you have any questions at all, do not hesitate to call him.” The doctor clapped her hands together and beamed at the future father. “In around a week you’ll receive a call for when you can come and get Hyunjun. I am very happy for you Mr. Lee. Congratulations.”

✿✿✿

Once Jaehyun and Juyeon left the facility, Jaehyun let out all the emotion he was holding in the consultation rooms and sobbed into Juyeon’s shoulder. “I’m gonna be a dad,” the older wailed, soiled Juyeon’s shirt with his tears. “And I’m gonna be an uncle.” Juyeon’s smile was so bright, you would have thought that Hyunjun was  _ his  _ child.

“Speaking of,” Jaehyun started, trying to find the right words to say. “You’re not going to be his uncle.” Juyeon’s face dropped. What the hell did Jaehyun mean? Almost all of their friends were going to care for Jaehyun’s son, they were a family after all.

“You’re going to be a Godfather.”

“Oh my God.” Juyeon held his breath. “Dude please tell me you’re not lying.”

“Yah! Why would I lie to you about something like this?”

Juyeon hugged Jaehyun so hard the older was afraid his bones would break. “I’m gonna be a Godfather!” he shouted out into the street.


	2. II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi~ i’ve added a few tags as there was another plot point i had not accounted for. once again no beta, so i apologize for any mistakes. i hope everyone enjoys.

Jaehyun opened his door to see Eric, drenched in his hoodie from the rain. He was only carrying his skateboard and backpack, and Jaehyun knew exactly what that meant. The older moved aside, making way for the blond haired boy to come in. it was almost midnight, why did he always have to escape at night.

“You know, you can’t keep running away to me every night.”

“Hey! I don’t do it every night,” Eric complained as he sat down on the couch, making himself comfortable. “Just every other night.”

Jaehyun snort before grabbing the spare pillows and blanket he left in the small ottoman next to the couch. The younger boy had been showing up to his home for years now, it was just simpler to have easy access to them. He sat down next to Eric, the tips of his hair now blue. Jaehyun figured that had something to do with why he had come to his place tonight. “Wanna talk about it?” Eric shrugged.

“It’s nothing special. They just didn’t like my hair. Also didn’t like that I was out with Sunwoo.” Eric looked straight ahead. He did that a lot when he didn’t want to tell Jaehyun the whole truth. “Hyunjae hyung, they keep calling me Youngjae, even when I tell them not to.”

Jaehyun rested his chin on his palm. He observed the younger boy. He was looking at the ground now, wringing his finger between his thumb and index finger. He only ever did that when something was seriously bothering him. “What were you doing with Sunwoo?” Eric’s breathing halted slightly before he continued. There was the hitter.

“Just dyeing my hair ,” the boy laughed but it was stiff. He obviously wasn’t ready to let Jaehyun know what happened for him to run from his foster parents’ home yet again so the older wasn’t going to push him. It was worrying though, the frequency of these late night visits increasing over the past month. In the 3 years of him knowing Eric, he would say this month alone he had come to him so stay the night the most. He still had a year to become an adult and because of this legally needed a guardian. He still had to wait a year to get out of the system. “Hyung, can I stay with you for a few days?”

Jaehyun was taken aback. How bad were things that Eric was asking to stay for more than a night. “Eric, you know I’m in a tough spot to do that.”

Eric’s eyes were pleading. “Please Hyunjae hyung, no one has to know. You know I won’t snitch.” If there was really something wrong going on, Jaehyun couldn’t say no.

“Yeah, of course you can stay.” Jaehyun looked at the clock. 00:14. He had to be up early for tomorrow. It was unlikely he would even be able to fall asleep but he at least wanted to try to get an hour in. He rubbed Eric’s back and stood, heading towards his room. “You know where everything is. If you need me don’t hesitate.” 

Eric nodded from where he was pulling out the couch into a bed. “Thank you hyung. It means a lot.”

As expected, Jaehyun couldn’t sleep, so he heard when Eric dialed in the numbers on his phone and began speaking.

_ “Hey, are you alright. I’m really sorry. I can’t go back there, they hate me. Sunwoo, I’m scared.”  _ He could hear crying and his heart broke.

Jaehyun’s stomach churned. Just from the one sided conversation he knew something terribly wrong had happened at his foster’s home. His mind conjured up all the horrible possibilities that may have occurred. Jaehyun didn’t want to pressure Eric, that was one of the worst things you could do. He had to pray that the younger would open up to him about whatever was going on.

✿✿✿

Jaehyun managed to sleep for just over 3 hours. It was honestly better than he had been expected, and with just enough caffeine he would be able to make it through the day. When he left his room he found Eric already awake, digging into a bowl of cereal. Jaehyun prepped the coffee pot before joining the other at the island. He looked fine, no visible marks on his skin, and his face was clean. That was good, that was really good. Still, a feeling of dread filled Jaehyun, his worry would never stop until he knew what was wrong.

“Why are you up so early on a Saturday?” Eric asked between mouthfuls of cereal.

“I could be asking you the same thing.” Eric didn’t react, just continued eating his breakfast. “I’m going somewhere. Wanna come?”

The blue tipped boy finally made eye contact with him. “Where?” 

“I’m picking up my flower child.”

Eric’s eyes widened. “You have a plant baby?”

“Is that surprising to you?”

“Honestly no. You love kids. Really, thinking back on it I’m more surprised that it’s taken you so long to get one of your own.”

Jaehyun smiled. Almost everyone he knew that he had told said the same thing. “So do you wanna join me?”

“I have nothing better to do.” He moved his dishes into the sink and rinsed them. “So, what do you know about your kid?”

“His name is Hyunjun, he’s a Delft Blue hyacinth. He needs lots of sun, but sometimes shade if he begins drying out. He doesn’t need to be watered too often either. I think he’s a pretty low-key child.” The younger gave him a look. “What?”

“You’re in love with that kid already. Your voice is oozing with affection.” Eric made a fake gagging expression. 

“Oh, shut up.” Jaehyun laughed lightly. He felt his face getting hot. He really was infatuated with the thought of his child, he could only imagine how that would amplify once he really met Hyunjun. “Anyways, we have to be there for nine, so get ready, I wanna be early.”

“Aye aye captain,” Eric saluted him, and Jaehyun already slightly regretted inviting the younger along.

✿✿✿

“I can hear you thinking of what to say to me.” Jaehyun took his eyes off the road to spare a glance at the younger. Eric was looking out the window, still not making eye contact. “Hyunjae hyung, just ask what you want to. I know you’re itching.”

Jaehyun stopped the car at the red light. “Well first, I just want to know if you’re okay.”

The younger swallowed thickly. “I could be better.”

“Okay… What happened last night?”

The traffic light turned green and the car accelerated again. “Sunwoo and I were in my room. He was helping me dye my hair. We kissed. And Hansol walked in just at the right time.” Jaehyun tightened his fingers around the wheel. Eric had been staying with Hansol and his wife for around four months now, and he’d figured this new family had something to do with the influx of instances of him running away from their home. “He knows he can put a finger on me or else he stops getting checks but that didn’t stop him from hitting Sunwoo. So I shoved him. I-I panicked so I pushed him and he hit his head on the dresser. I swear he was breathing when we left.”

Jaehyun pulled into the lot and parked. Eric was wringing his finger again, the nervous tick he had plaguing him again. Eric was like a brother to him, so it hurt to see him in such distress. He hates that people like Hansol were meant to take care of kids in the system but only seemed to be interested in the amount of money they got for it. He brought the younger boy in for a hug over the console.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. You didn’t do anything I wouldn’t have done. You can stay with me for as long as you want, I’ll figure everything out, don’t worry.”

Eric pulled away. “Uh, hyung this affection is all too much for me. Let’s just go and get your kid.”

Jaehyun snort before exiting the car. “Yeah okay.”

There was about a six minute wait from when Jaehyun signed himself in with the reception and when he was getting escorted into a room. Instead of being greeted by Dr. Jo, he was met with the presence of a pink haired man, and a black pot filled with earth. The man smiled and bowed.

“Hello, you must be Lee Jaehyun. I’m the care assistant you requested for, Choi Chanhee. Please, take a seat.”

Eric had decided to stay in the lobby, so it was only Jaehyun and Chanhee in the room. The pink haired man smiled softly as he slid the pot across the table. 

“This is Hyunjun. I’ve planted him for you. I believe you’ve read over the care instructions, yes?” He waited for the slight nod from the other and continued. “So as you know, he’ll be needing full light or partial shade.”

For some reason, Jaehyun was having an extremely hard time focusing on the words that were coming out of Chanhee’s mouth. Instead he was enthralled with  _ him _ , and not what he was saying. He had attractive eyes, soft brown and lovely, it was easy for them to capture one’s attention. And a nice nose. Slight and button. And his mouth. He had pretty lips. Choi Chanhee was so utterly  _ pretty _ .

“Mr. Lee?” Chanhee has his lips pursed, and he looked as if he was trying to hold in a laugh.

_ Busted. _ Jaehyun felt his neck get hot. “Sorry, I’m just a little … nervous.”

“Very understandable, Mr. Lee. Since I am Hyunjun’s care assistant, I’ll need to familiarize myself with your home and neighborhood. Is there a good time for me to do so?”

Jaehyun’s schedule was really quite empty for the next few days, he had requested a week vacation while Eric was in the shower. He figured with the younger  _ and  _ Hyunjun around, they would both need his attention. “I’m free later today, if that works with you.”

“It works perfectly fine. How does three o’clock sound?”

“Sounds great.”

Chanhee handed Hyunjun’s to Jaehyun. “Please keep him on the floor of your car or in someone’s hands while transporting him. I’ll explain more when we meet later.” Chanhee’s smile was warm and the feeling Jaehyun got from it ignited his nerves. He felt as though his heart would explode.

Walking out of the facility felt unreal to Jaehyun. It felt like he was walking in clouds. He looked into the pot and saw nothing but soil, but eventually, Hyunjun would grow into a full Delft Blue hyacinth, and after that, a child. To say he was excited would be an understatement. Jaehyun was practically shaking in his boots. He entrusted Hyunjun to Eric to hold during the car ride back.

“Hyunjae hyung, are you okay? Your face looks really red.”

Jaehyun looked at himself in the rear view mirror. Like Eric said, his face was slightly red. God, he felt like a teenager with a crush.

“I’m fine. Just, worried about Hyunjun.”

“What would you be worried about? He’s in wonderful hands right now,” Eric boosted himself, lifting a hand to frame his face.

“Yah, pay attention to my son.”

Per usual, the two bickered with each other all the way to Jaehyun home. He had already started thinking of where to put Hyunjun since his visit with Dr. Jo, and had decided on right next to his kitchen sink. It was perfect, easy access to water, amazing sunlight from the window right above. He could already see Hyunjun flourishing there. Jaehyun smiled as he thought of the flower growing up.

“Welcome home.”


	3. III

Jaehyun placed Hyunjun’s pot in the cover he had bought for it. It was clear and simply decorated, with a moon and small white dots for stars. It looked elegant against the black terracotta. Jaehyun felt slightly embarrassed smiling into the pot of soil but he couldn’t help the warm happiness that filled him when he looked into it.

“I’m gonna go try and get the rest of my stuff. I should be back in an hour.” Eric called from the door. It was two-fifty-three, meaning Chanhee would be arriving in just over five minutes and Jaehyun might not be here when he got back.

“Mm, take the spare key okay.” Eric looked between the key and him. “Look, for now my home is yours. Might as well act like it.”

“Thanks, hyung.” Eric slipped through the door after a quick nod in Jaehyun’s direction. He sighed internally, it was still hard to get Eric to open up, even after all these years.

Jaehyun’s buzzer and phone both went off at the same time.  _ I’m here _ , read the text he received, and sure enough, when he looked at the intercom the man was there. He unlocked the main doors and waited. He scanned his living space, making sure nothing was out of place. He wanted to make a good impression, since Chanhee would be around a lot for the next few months, helping him care for Hyunjun. There was a knock at his door and it knocked Jaehyun out of his daze. He took a breath before opening his door, and there Chanhee was, still looking as lovely as this morning. Jaehyun withheld his urge to stare this time, and invited the smaller man in.

“You have a lovely home, Mr. Lee,” Chanhee complimented and it made Jaehyun want to laugh.

“Please, call me Jaehyun. Mr. Lee is so … formal. And it makes me sound so old.” He let out a little chuckle at the end and Chanhee smiled along.

“Alright Jaehyun. Since we’re skipping formalities, you can call me Chanhee as well.”

Chanhee slid around the living space, simply observing. “I think you’re chosen a good spot to keep Hyunjun. Though, closer to his due date, I suggest moving him onto the floor, just in case.”

Jaehyun nodded, offering a seat at his kitchen table. “I had a question about that. I was reading up on how to grow a hyacinth from a seed. I read that it may take years for them to become full grown, but the expectation for flower children is only nine months. I just wanted to know why that was.”

“Well, flower children are different from both regular plants and children. For some flowers, we need to slow down the growth rate to ensure full development of the child, and for others we have to speed up the process, because as you said, it may take years to fully grow a hyacinth, and that just far too long. We’ve made the standard for development similar to that of biological children, however there may be some delays or early arrivals.”

Jaehyun was enthralled with the way Chanhee spoke. His voice was light and delicate and  _ musical. _ It was like he spoke in melody. 

“Is there anything else I should know about Hyunjun and flower children? Something that the care instructions don’t tell me?”

Chanhee pursed his lips and looked up in thought. Jaehyun was noticing that it was a habit of the pink haired man. “I suggest speaking to them. It’s good for their health if you communicate with them, it makes them happy. You might even hear them try to speak back.”

“They speak?”

Chanhee smiled and his eyes turned to crescents.  _ Cute.  _ “Nothing coherent, but they do make sounds. It’s one of their ways to express themselves in plant form. They also shake off their petals from time to time. This usually also happens when they’re happy. Many parents call them gifts.”

Jaehyun felt warm at hearing that. “God that’s so cute.”

The pink haired man laughed at Jaehyun’s weak heart, and God, the sound made his heart race. Jaehyun couldn’t lie, he was taken with Chanhee from the second he saw him. Intrigued by his pink hair and pretty face and the delicate way he carried himself. But was not really the time to be crushing like a high schooler on a man he had only met today. He had enough on his plate already. _ Get a grip Hyunjae _ , he told himself. He was doing just fine being romantically alone for the past year and a half.

Still, it wouldn’t hurt to learn more about him.

“Do you mind showing me the neighborhood?”

“No, not at all. Let’s go.”

Jaehyun felt as though his apartment was in a good area. There was a preschool only a ten minute walk away, and a park just down the street. The supermarket was nearby as well, everything was conveniently close.

“So you’re a social worker.” Chanhee floated down the street next to him, his footsteps light. “What made you decide to do that.”

“I wanted to help people. Kids especially. I know it can be hard for a lot of them to be in the foster care system so I wanted to be able to do something for them. Since we got rid of adoption here after flower children were introduced the system has been really backed up. I wanted to see if there was any way that even I could contribute to fixing it.”

Chanhee didn’t say anything, but when Jaehyun looked over at him he could see the pink haired man smiling at him. “What is it?” He laughed awkwardly.

“I can tell you’re a very good person. Hyunjun is lucky to have you as a father.”

Jaehyun could feel his face getting hot from the praise again.  _ God, you blushing idiot. _ He cleared his throat. “Uh, so. Is being a care assistant your main job?” Jaehyun tried his best at making conversation while learning more about the other man.

“No, actually. I’m a lab assistant. I help the main scientists when they produce the seeds.”

“Oh, wow. So you know all about how they work.” Chanhee nodded. “Is there an assignment you prefer over the other?”

“Mm, not really, no. I feel like they’re both equally fulfilling. Knowing the science behind flower children and being able to connect to them on a human level. I think they’re both important and I enjoy both. It also helps me come to terms with my own reality.”

Jaehyun thought about the last part for a bit. “Your own reality?”

Chanhee gave him his closed lip smile again. “Yes, I was a flower child. One of the first actually.”

“You were a flower child,” the blond reiterated.

“It’s hard to tell me apart from any other person, right?” He smiled knowingly. “We’re meant to be just like you. No differences.”

Jaehyun was at a loss for words.  _ Incredible.  _ His curiosity was beginning to get the best of him. “What kind of flower were you?”

“A tulip. A white Greigii tulip, specifically.” Chanhee turned to him. “Thank you, I think I’ve gotten a good idea of your neighborhood. It’s a lovely place for a child to grow. We should head back and check up on Hyunjun.”

Jaehyun nodded and led them back to his apartment complex. When back in his unit, Chanhee collected his things and took some final looks at Hyunjun.

“My next visit will be next week, but will become more frequent as time goes on. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you feel as though something is wrong. I’m available at all times.”

Jaehyun nodded and just as Chanhee was slipping out of his apartment, Eric was coming back in.

“Who was that.”

The older looked Eric up and down. “My care assistant … Are you okay?” The blue tipped boy was out of breath and sweating, and there were a few drops of blood on his jeans.

“Oh yeah. I just fell off my board.” He was lying through his teeth.

“Eric,” Jaehyun gave him a look. That look that said,  _ come one, you know you can tell me anything. _

The younger sighed and threw his duffle bag on the ground. “Hansol was there. Last minute, as I was about to leave, he must have gotten off work early. He came at me with a clothes hanger.”

Jaehyun tried his best to keep his anger at bay, but Eric must have seen the clenched fists at his side.

“Hyunjae hyung, it’s fine really. Just a scratch. I just … I don't wanna think about it anymore. Don’t wanna think about  _ him _ anymore.”

Jaehyun let out the breath he was holding. “Okay. That’s fair. I’ll help you clean that up.”

“It’s okay, hyung. I can do it myself.” Eric smiled at him in gratitude before walking into the bathroom. “Thank you for everything already.”

Jaehyun took a seat next to his sink, right in front of Hyunjun. He looked into the pot. Nothing. Yet. He wondered how long before his son started to sprout. Pulling out his phone, he tried to search for answers to no avail.  _ Oh, well.  _ He typed in  _ white greigii tulip _ into the search bar and smiled.

They were beautiful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! very sorry for the short and late chapter, but i wanted to get this out before the finale of road to kingdom! i hope we can all support the boyz through the hanteo whosfan app and vote for them during the finale. if you don’t have an account yet i suggest making one one now! if you’re new to making an account an account you can use my referral code, HM520529, to gain extra credit. let’s all do our best to support the boyz!


	4. IV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi~
> 
> i just wanted the let everyone know ahead of time of the use of homophobic language in this chapter.

Jaehyun watched as Jacob patted his son’s back, the baby babbling over his shoulder. He began to hiccup slightly and Jaehyun knew exactly what that meant. He handed Jacob the small towel and the older thanked him as he threw it over his shoulder, waiting and waiting for the moment when the baby would spit up.

Kevin and Jacob called their son by his English name more than his Korean one, so it easily fell into place that they entire friend group called the boy James as well. Jaehyun loved calling him Jamie, the boy giggled and showed his toothless smile whenever he did so, and the sight was something that could make your heart melt.

God, he loved babies. They were just so cute and squishy and loveable. And where most people got tired of children once they learned to walk and terrorize the space around them with clumsy hands and feet, he loved their curiosity. Their fascination with anything around them, whether it be a letter block or their own finger was something he adored the most about kids.

“So,” Jacob started, running his fingers through his son’s dark hair. Jamie had fallen asleep in lieu of spitting up his snack, and was now drooling slightly against the towel, little back rising and falling with every breath he took. “How excited are you?”

“Well, I’ve just been shaking for the past week if that tells you anything.”

Jacob laughed. “So when can I meet Hyunjun?”

“I was actually thinking of inviting everyone over next week. He just started to sprout yesterday. Want to give him a little time to adjust to three people before overwhelming him with more.”

“Two people. Eric’s still staying with you?”

Jaehyun nodded and tried not to get angry at the thought of Eric’s situation. “I’m going back in tomorrow and looking up his foster’s file. Something about him isn’t sitting well with me.”

“How is Eric?”

“I think he’s fine now. The first few nights were hard though.” Jacob raised a brow in question. “I could hear him crying the first night. And the second. The third he was having trouble sleeping.”

“So there was obviously something going on.”

“Yeah, he still won’t tell me everything, just bits and pieces. I’m not gonna force him to talk and make him uncomfortable so I’ll just wait until he’s ready.” Jaehyun looked at his watch and it was almost two-thirty. He needed to be back home by three to meet with Chanhee. “I’ve gotta run.” He kissed the top of Jamie’s head and bid Jacob goodbye before getting into his car and returning home.

The place was silent so he figured Eric was out, likely with Sunwoo. He went over to Hyunjun and saw that his stalk was already taller than when he had left that morning. “Well aren’t we eager. You’re growing so fast.” The sprout made a little squeaking noise and Jaehyun smiled, wondering what kind of emotion he was trying to portray from the noise.

The intercom buzzed and alerted Jaehyun of Chanhee’s arrival. He invited the man up and waited, straightening out anything out of place in his home. Chanhee gave him the same smile that his palms sweat just slightly when he walked in, and made his way straight to Hyunjun.

“Oh, wow. He’s grown a lot.”

“Yeah, I think just this morning he grew about centimetre.”

“Have you been feeding him a lot?”

Jaehyun shook his head. “No I’ve been measuring out the recommended amount per day.” The way Chanhee had questioned him was worrying. “Is there something wrong? Should he not be growing like this?”

Chanhee seemed to sense the blond’s unease and offered a smile. “Oh no. No, not at all it’s just shocking. I’ve never seen a flower child grow this fast. He must be excited to meet you.”

The thought of Hyunjun being eager to grow and meet him made Jaehyun’s heart jump. He watched as the pink haired man pulled out a small ruler and stuck it next to Hyunjun, measuring his stalk. He then watched as the man reached out and felt one of the leaves that spread out from the bulb with thin fingers. Chanhee was very delicate looking. Slight figure, soft voice, and he moved as if he walked on air. He was extremely pretty, and after every visit, Jaehyun found it harder and harder to get the thought of him out of his mind.

“Everything with Hyunjun is looking fine. He’s very healthy right now, so don’t worry at all. Since it’s so early on in Hyunjun’s growth the visits will be short like this.” He packed the ruler back into the small bag he carried and set himself to leave. “In about a month the visits will become more frequent. Or I can always come by whenever you need.”

Jaehyun nodded and watched Chanhee slip on his shoes before remembering he had meant to ask the other something. 

“Actually, I wanted to know if you were free next Friday?” Chanhee gave him a look and raised his eyebrow. Oh god, it did sound slightly odd that way, didn’t it? “Not like that!” Jaehyun could feel the back of his neck getting warm. “I just, wanted to invite some people over to celebrate Hyunjun’s sprouting. Would you be interested in that?”

The smaller man looked at him for a long time before responding, ghost of a smile on his face. “Sure. Just send me the details.”

✿✿✿

_ Yoo Hansol.  _ Jaehyun pulled up the database file on the man. It was his second day back at work and he couldn’t stop thinking of what had possibly gone on while Eric was staying with him. The man’s information came up onto the screen and Jaehyun skimmed it.

_ Wife, no kids, third assignment. _

Jaehyun scrolled to the assignment section, reading the information that was written about them. The first had been from two years earlier, and had only lasted several months. The child was still in the system, seeming to have been “problematic” and needing a change of foster parents. The second was an adult now, and Jaehyun itched at the chance to get to speak to him. He continued scrolling through the file until he saw Eric’s photo pop onto the screen and stopped. He sighed, not needing to read anything to know things were not going well with Eric’s time with the foster parent. 

There was technically nothing wrong with him going to speak to a former foster child, though it was terribly out of practice. However, Jaehyun was already keeping Eric with him, and that was far worse. He could break a little unsaid rule once or twice.

✿✿✿

Jaehyun knocked on one of the doors at the housing complex and waited, double checking that he had the right door number. He was just about to knock again when the door opened slightly and a boy with black hair answered. Jaehyun bowed to him and the other watched him carefully, still holding onto the door, not moving it an inch more.

“Hello. I was hoping to speak to Ju Haknyeon.”

The boy squinted at Jaehyun and gripped the door a little tighter. People who weren’t too observant wouldn’t have noticed but Jaehyun was exactly the opposite, it was part of his job to be observant.

“Why?”

Well, it was good that the boy still hadn’t shut the door in his face, so Jaehyun felt as though he at least had a chance to to talk to him.

“I’m a social worker. My name is Lee Jaehyun. I just wanted to ask a few questions because I know that Ju Haknyeon used to stay with Yoo Hansol while he was still a minor. Is there any way I could speak with him?”

The raven haired boy looked at Jaehyun for a few more moments before sighing and fully opening the door to him. “You’re speaking with him. Come in.”

The blond looked around the living space. It was small but clean, a few notebooks and textbooks scattered across the kitchen table. Haknyeon invited him to sit at the sofa that was placed in the middle ofthe house and the raven haired sat across from him. He was anxious, toe tapping against the floor and hands fidgeting with each other. Jaehyun didn’t want the younger to be wary of him, there was no way they’d be able to have a normal conversation that way. 

“What exactly did you want to talk about?”

“Well first, how are you doing? I see you’ve been out of the system for about a year now.”

Haknyeon nodded. “I’m doing okay. I’m fine. School is okay.”

“What are you studying?” Jaehyun offered a smile to the boy to try and ease his tension. He obviously didn’t trust people very much, but then again that was also a good thing. He definitely shouldn’t offer everything up to a man he had just met a few minutes ago.

“History. I’d like to become a professor.”

“That’s wonderful. I’m sure you’re doing amazing.”

There was an awkward silence and Jaehyun didn’t want to push the other or make him uncomfortable. He had to find the best way to approach this.

“Are you going to ask me what you really came here for?”

Well. That was an opening. 

“Yes. I hope this isn’t pushing your boundaries but, what can you tell me if your time with Mr. Yoo?”

The younger’s eyes were especially flat now, and his toe tapping had stopped. Jaehyun felt as though he was holding his breath. 

“He was not great.”

The blond nodded. Okay. He just needed a little more.

“If you don’t mind me asking, how so?”

Haknyeon blinked and took a breath before responding. “He was rarely around, but when he was it was bad. He was always angry, either at me or his wife. Angry about the smallest things. There were times when he would lash out. Physically. Not really to me but to his wife.” Jaehyun suppressed his frown. He had seen that coming but still, having it confirmed upset him. “He would call me names if he thought I wasn’t manly enough. Sissy, faggot, anything you can think. He hated the fact that I didn’t like girls.” Haknyeon’s toes began to tap at the floor again. “He didn’t care about anything. Just wanted the money he could get out of having me there and that was it.”

“I’m very sorry about that. I’m sorry you had to go through that.” Jaehyun wanted to reach out and somehow comfort the boy, but fought against the urge. 

“It’s fine.” Haknyeon made sincere eye contact with Jaehyun for the first time in their meeting. “Is he still a foster parent? Is that why you’re here?”

“Yes. Sadly he is, but I’m trying to make that statement untrue.”

Haknyeon nodded, looking at his feet once more. It was obvious the boy dealt with some kind of anxiety, and some of it could have definitely been affected by his time in the system.

“If you need anyone to talk to, about what happened or anything else, it doesn’t matter, I’m available.” Jaehyun handed the raven haired boy his card and Kevin’s. “My friend is also a therapist so you can speak with him as well. I’m glad to see you're doing well for yourself now.” The blond smiled and for the first time Haknyeon smile back, just slightly. 

“Thank you. I hope whatever you're doing works out.”

Jaehyun exited the housing complex and bit his lip in thought. He had a clear picture on what Yoo Hansol was like now, the question was how to get rid of him. He’d have to get Eric to speak about his occurrences with him, and maybe even had to get Haknyeon to lend his experiences as well. The thought of the man annoyed him. Using children who needed help and home as a cash grab instead of truly taking care of them. No amount of screening could stop people like him, they were too good at hiding their intentions before it was too late and they were immersed in the system, getting paid to do the bare minimum and have a child stay with them. There were still many things wrong with the way the system worked and this was one of the many problems. Finding a way to get rid of one bad apple seemed small in the grand scheme of things, but still, if that ended up helping one more child it would still make a difference. 

✿✿✿

“Hyunjae hyung, you’re already such a corny dad.”

Jaehyun pouted at Eric who was hanging up some streamers across the room up on the ceiling. “What do you mean?”

“A sprouting party? That’s so cheesy, come on.” The blue tipped boy snorted from the stool he was standing on.

“Hey! It’s an important moment in Hyunjun’s life and should be celebrated!”

“Yeah, whatever you say, hyung.”

The intercom buzzed at that moment and Jaehyun let the visitors up. He wondered who had arrived first. Which one of his friends wanted to see his son the most? He’d have to keep a mental note of it.

Someone knocked on the door and he opened it up to Juyeon and Changmin, the two hand in hand and Changmin carrying a little gift bag. The taller of the two pushed past Jaehyun without even greeting him and the older rolled his eyes before he and Changmin shared a hug. 

“Where’s my Godson?” Juyeon walked around a bit before spotting the pot next to the sink. The hyacinth was taller once again, having grown quite a bit in the past week and was beginning to grow buds on his stem. “OH HE IS SO CUTE!”

Jaehyun snorted at his best friend and thanked Changmin for the gift before going over to save his son from his overly excited Godfather. 

Ten minutes after Juyeon and Changmin’s arrival, the rest of his friends made their way into his apartment, the last person to arrive being Chanhee. He looked pretty as usual, and if Jaehyun could see properly, he had light silver strands running through his pink hair that sparkled when they caught the light. The shorter handed Jaehyun a small gift box and their fingers brushed, a slight shock going through them. The blond saw Chanhee blink at their hands a few times before pulling back and giving him his typical closed lip smile.

Jaehyun cleared his throat and looked away. “Let me introduce you to everyone.” Chanhee followed close behind Jaehyun and waved at the others while the blond explained to his friends who he was.

Chanhee took a seat next to Changmin as Jaehyun went to move his son to the center of the room. 

“I really want to thank everyone for coming. I’m really happy to be sharing this moment with all of you.”

“We’re your family. Of course we’re here for you,” Juyeon smiled at his best friend and the others gave sounds of affirmation.  _ Family.  _ It was really all Jaehyun wanted. He felt as though he was going to cry a bit.

One of Hyunjun’s leaves wiggled slightly and he made a sound of delight. It seemed he was happy with his extended family as well.

Changmin gasped. “Did he just do that?” Jaehyun nodded and the younger pouted. “Oh he is just precious.”

The night went on with all of them socializing, sharing stories about Jaehyun or chatting with others about the goings-on in their lives. The blond found it very hard to take his eyes off of Chanhee, and watched as he fell into easy conversation with Changmin. Something twisted in Jaehyun’s gut and he felt a little jealous that in the short time of knowing each other, those two had shared as many words as he had with Chanhee in knowing him for two weeks.

It was almost eleven when everyone began to file out, save for Sunwoo who was playing with Eric’s fingers on the sofa, and Juyeon and Changmin who were helping clean up.

“So, hyung,” Changmin began, wiping a plate dry. “How long have you been making heart eyes at Chanhee for?”

Jaehyun’s hands hovered over Hyunjun’s pot and he was lucky he didn’t already have hold of the hyacinth, because he would have surely dropped him after hearing Changmin’s question. The blond blinked a few times before feeling as though he had regained his bearings and moved to place Hyunjun back to his spot next to the sink. 

“I don’t know what youre talking about.”

Eric laughed purposely loud from his seat. “Come on, Hyunjae hyung. Everyone can tell you have a crush.”

Jaehyun fought hard to suppress his blush. Okay. Maybe he did have a tiny crush on his care assistant but that was all it was. A crush. It definitely wouldn’t go anywhere, his relationship with Chanhee was very obviously strictly business. So what if he thought the other was one of the prettiest people he had ever met? He knew almost nothing about him.

“Even if I did, it would go nowhere. Get your minds out of the gutter, y’all. He’s just helping me with Hyunjun. That’s it.”

“ _ Even if, _ ” Sunwoo teased and the others snickered. God. He hated his friends sometimes.

✿✿✿

Jaehyun sat on his bed, opening the gifts from everyone. He had gotten a giftcard to the children’s store from Sunwoo, and a flower pot shaped lounger from Jacob and Kevin. Changmin and Juyeon gave him a cat plush toy and a little baby outfit, decorated with black cats all over. Definitely Juyeon’s idea. 

He laid eyes on the gift box chanhee had given him. It was small, it fit in the palm of his hand, so the blond wondered what was inside. He tore off the wrapping and opened the box to see two bracelets inside, both adorned with a blue hyacinth charm. On the inside of the box cover was written,  _ For you and Hyunjun.  _ Jaehyun smiled and clasped the bracelet onto his wrist. he made his way to the kitchen and towards the sink, laying the other bracelet on the earth of Hyunjun’s pot. The hyacinth made a small sound and while Jaehyun didn’t know what his son wanted to say to him, he could only assume it was good. He sounded happy. 

“You’re going to look like that very soon, baby.” Hyunjun squeaked in delight again and wiggled a leaf, tapping the charm slightly.

Jaehyun pet the leaf softly, cooing at the flower. “I love you.”

Hyunjun made three contented sounds.  _ I love you. _


	5. V

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i’m sorry for taking so long with this update, this chapter just was very difficult for me to write for some reason. enjoy <3

Chanhee waited to hear the buzz of the door unlocking, the indication that Jaehyun knew he was there. He pulled the door open when he heard the sound, and climbed the steps up to the other’s apartment, finding that route was always faster than the elevator. Jaehyun lived on the second floor of his building, so it wasn’t a tiring 

It was Chanhee’s first full day with Hyunjun, opposed to the short visits he had been doing for the flower for the past two months. Jaehyun had asked since he had a full day at work and the hyacinth had just begun to bloom, blue flower petals curling in on themselves. He was growing incredibly fast, and Chanhee wondered about the inner workings of the flower. 

Chanhee wanted to know how they all worked. How they went from plant to human. How  _ he  _ went from plant to human. While working as a lab assistant, he still didn’t know everything, didn’t have access to all the information the way the main scientists did. He looked after seeds but still didn’t know  _ what  _ was so special about them.

It made sense that not just anyone was privy to this kind of information. Once you knew how to create human life from just a mere plant, you were sure to develop some kind of God complex. Perhaps the inflated ego was warranted but still, a dangerous thing if too many people were aware. Chanhee had no malicious motives for wanting to know more about flower children though, he just wanted to know about himself.

Jaehyun opened the door and Chanhee offered the blond a small smile. He averted eye contact quickly and followed the other in. He could feel the blond’s eyes on him as he went over to check on Hyunjun’s blooming buds. He saw the shine of the hyacinth bracelet he had gifted Jaehyun and Hyunjun for the flower’s sprouting party and smiled. The blue from the enamel charm matched Hyunjun’s petals almost perfectly.

“How’s he looking?” Jaehyun came up beside him, leaving a noticeable gap between the two.

Chanhee looked at the plant father and admired him for a bit. He was definitely attractive, with a sharp nose and pretty eyes and a nice mouth. But even if Chanhee found the man fairly hot, it didn’t matter. The other was his client and he had been hired to help him handle becoming the parent of a flower child. Nothing could happen between the two, even if he wanted to. 

Which he most definitely did not. 

“He looks good. He’s blooming a little earlier than expected but he's healthy. This won’t be the end of his growth though. Hyacinths tend to grow to ten or twelve inches so he still has a bit to go.”

Jaehyun nodded, jutting out his bottom lip slightly. “Okay. I‘m glad he’s healthy. That's good.” The blond pulled his lip between his teeth now, seeming to be in thought. “Is there a reason why he’s blooming early? Am I doing something wrong?”

“No, of course not.” Jaehyun was beginning to gnaw on his lip and Chanhee thought that if he did it any harder he’d break the skin. The shorter man placed his hand on the other’s shoulder and looked into his eyes. Eye contact gives sincerity and it looked like Jaehyun needed a lot of that right now. “You’re doing absolutely fine. Some flowers just work differently, just like people. Some bloom prematurely, and some don’t bloom at all. Blooming is never a bad thing, I’d be more worried if he wasn’t. My guess is that he’s excited. Everything is going okay.”

Jaehyun looked back into his eyes for a long time, seeming to try and steady himself. The gaze was intense and Chanhee couldn’t quite tell what he was thinking, but after a few moments the blond finally breathed out the breath he was holding in and smiled softly. He had an endearing smile, close lipped and wide so it made small dimples appear at the edges of his mouth. 

“Thank you.”

Chanhee retracted his hand. “Don’t thank me. You’re the one doing really well. Don’t stress yourself out so much.”

Jaehyun nodded again before grabbing his bag from the counter, preparing himself to leave. “Eric’s here and may be all day. He may leave though or invite his friend over, but that should be all the people here until I get back. Thanks again for coming in today.”

Chanhee watched the man leave and moved Hyunjun from his spot next to the sink to the island and set him up next to his laptop. He opened up the document he had started on the hyacinth and logged the growth he observed today.

He spent some time comparing his notes on Hyunjun to his last assignment. Hyunjun was his second assignment as a care assistant, his first being a red Buckeye Belle peony. It was a beautiful flower, dark and vibrant and alluring. She had grown almost exactly on schedule, eventually being born in the spring. Chanhee had been assigned to help out an older couple who had been having fertility issues for years and was witness to the joy that a child could bring to someone’s life. He wondered if he would have made someone as happy as she did. 

The door unlocked and the blond boy that had been staying with Jaehyun and his friend walked in. Chanhee grew fascinated, because when he had met Jaehyun’s friends at Hyunjun’s sprouting party, something about the red haired boy intrigued him. The two greeted him with a bow of the head that Chanhee reciprocated before Eric told the other he had to get something from Jaehyun’s spare room and that he would be out in a second. The tanned boy, Sunwoo, if Chanhee could remember correctly, sat across from him and began to scroll through his phone. Chanhee peered over the top of his laptop and at the boy’s forearm. There was a faint green line running down it and the pink haired man knew then that he was right about his suspicions.

Chanhee wondered how he would bring the topic up in discussion. Shoulde he be blunt and just say it? Should he be nonchalant and ease it into conversation? How would one even be casual about what he was just about to say? He decided he would just come out with it.

“What flower were you?”

Sunwoo looked back at him with wide eyes, mouth slightly agape. “What?”

Chanhee offered the red head a smile, doing his best to make him comfortable. “You were a flower child, right?”

The boy blinked a few times before looking at the door Eric had walked through a few minutes before. He looked back at Chanhee and nodded slightly before asking, “how did you know?”

“Yours veins,” Chanhee pointed at the translucent green lines running down his forearm. “It’s an almost unnoticeable detail but yours are green, like mine. In people who aren’t flower children theirs appear blue.”

Sunwoo looked down at his arm before fixing his gaze on Hyunjun. “I was a sunflower. The others don’t know though, not even Eric,” he almost whispered. 

Chanhee tilted his head at that, wondering why it was a secret for the red haired boy. “Why?”

Sunwoo was now running his index finger along the vein on his forearm, biting down on his bottom lip softly. “My parents had a lot of trouble having kids. I guess they were embarrassed. Once I was old enough to understand they told me to never let anyone know I was a plant baby.”

The older pursed his lips together, trying to cover up the frown that wanted to appear on his face. “Hmm. Well it doesn't really matter anyway. Whether you came from a womb or a pot, we’re all just people.”

Just then, Eric walked back out of the guestroom and the two boys were out of the house once again.

✿✿✿

For the next few hours Chanhee busied himself by speaking to Hyunjun and organizing his logs into comparison charts. The hyacinth replied to him in small squeaks and waggling leaves, signs that he could only believe were positive reinforcement. He had never had to stay for such a long period of time to be a care assistant and quickly found himself running out of things to do in Jaehyun’s home. He’d have to bring something to busy himself the next time. 

It was about five thirty when Jaehyun got home and thanked him for being able to stay for so long. Chanhee noticed several times how Jaehyun opened and closed his mouth, as if he wanted to say something but then decided better not to. The pink haired man tried to hold back his smile because even though he hated to think of it that way it was almost an endearing habit that he observed the other to have since the first time they had met. What did he want to say that at the last moment he felt as though he could not?

Chanhee left after a brief recount of the day and making sure that his next visit would be in 2 days, the same length of time. He left almost immediately after the confirmation wanting to cut their interaction time as short as possible. He didn’t know why he always felt the need to but being around the other felt different to him. Not uncomfortable, just … different. It might have been since Chanhee spent almost all of his time with the same two people that he was terrible at being open with others, however he did manage to hit it off with one of Jaehyun’s friends at Hyunjun’s sprouting party. The two even exchanged phone numbers, though there hasn’t been a stream of conversation besides, “hi this is changmin. jaehyun hyung’s friend” and, “hi it’s chanhee.”

Chanhee parked his car in the condo garage before punching in the code to the building and waiting for the elevator. He wasn’t shocked to see Younghoon lounging on one of the sofas since it had become one of his preferred spots whenever he didn’t have any shoots. He would tell the taller to get out more but that would only be hypocritical of himself since his favoured activity to do whenever he had no responsibilities was hole up in his room. He greeted Younghoon and took a seat down next to him, closing his eyes. 

“How was your day at the hot dad’s house?”

Chanhee internally groaned. He was really regretting having told Younghoon and Sangyeon about his new assignment, because those two were much too nosy and couldn’t resist from finding Jaehyun on all forms of social media known to man.

_ “Oh he’s fucking beautiful.” Younghoon and Sangyeon observed the screen, zooming in on different parts of Jaehyun’s face.  _

_ “You guys are being weird.” Chanhee took the phone away from Younghoon’s hold and closed the Instagram app, not before taking a little peek at the photo himself. And so what if Lee Jaehyun was extremely attractive? _

“It was fine. I barely even saw him.”

“You sound a little upset about that,” Younghoon teased him and Chanhee rolled his eyes inhumanly hard. 

“Where’s Sangyeon?”

“He called thirty minutes ago saying he was leaving work. He said he would buy food.”

The pink haired man nodded and got up from the sofa, padding to the bathroom to take a shower and get into more comfortable clothing. By the time he was done Sangyeon had arrived and they all ate the takeout he had ordered together. It was a typical night for the three of them, they had been doing this since they were young. While Chanhee didn’t have parents, he had Sangyeon and Younghoon and the two of them were his family. A tulip, a rose, and a foxglove, growing up together and never leaving each other’s sides for more than a day. Chanhee really couldn’t imagine his life any other way. 

  
  
  


It was nearly midnight when Younghoon entered Chanhee’s room and lied down next to him on the bed. 

“Chanhee?” The smaller man hummed, eyes focused on his laptop as he shopped for more jewelry making supplies. “Will you marry me?”

Chanhee spared the former rose a glance before focusing his attention back to the necklace closures. “No.”

Younghoon let out a small laugh next to him before sitting up across from him. “What do you think of Jaehyun?”

Chanhee sighed slightly, shutting off his computer. “He’s nice. Really nice and caring. And you’ve already seen what he looks like so you can form your own opinions on that. Why? Are you interested in him?”

“Sure you can say that I’m interested in him.” Chanhee raised an eyebrow. Okay he definitely didn’t actually think Younghoon was crushing on his client. 

“For you.” Ah, there it was. 

“Bbanghoon …” This wasn't the first time Younghoon had tried to set Chanhee up with someone but this was the first time he had suggested crossing boundaries. 

“Come on. Aren’t you tired of being alone all the time?”

“I’m not alone. I have you and Sangyeon.”

Younghoon breathed out harshly through his nose. “You know that's not what I mean.”

“I really don’t need anyone. I’m fine.” Chanhee pulled his sheets up to his chin, watching as they stretched out in front of him. “And also my client would be the last person I would go for, you know that.”

“And what about when he’s not your client anymore?”

The pink haired man groaned and pulled the covers over his head, letting himself hide under them. He was growing tired of Younghoon’s questioning.

“Get out!”

✿✿✿

Younghoon’s teasing stayed in Chanhee’s mind for the next two days. The pink haired man sat parked in the small lot down the street from Jaehyun’s apartment, looking at himself in the rear view mirror. 

_ “And what about when he’s not your client anymore?” _

Well. He didn’t have a very good answer for that, at least not one that Younghoon would accept. It would just be … strange. Crossing boundaries that way could only cause problems in Chanhee’s mind.

He looked at himself once more in the mirror, smacking his lips softly and fluffing out his hair. He sighed slightly, gathering his things before making the short trek to Jaehyun’s building. He follows the same routine he had been doing for the past few visits. Waiting to the click of the lock unlatching, the walk up the flight of stairs, knocking on Jaehyun’s door. He waited for the other man to open the door and his chest felt tight, heart beating much harder than usual. He was  _ nervous. This is all Younghoon’s fault. _

Jaehyun opened the door, moving aside to make way for Chanhee. He was dressed casually, so it seemed that he was not going to his workplace today.

“I hope you don’t mind that I’m staying home today.”  _ Oh. That’s gonna be akward for me.  _ “I just wanted to see if there was anything specific you do for Hyunjun when you’re here.”

Chanhee blinked a few times before offering the blond a smile. His heart rate had increased but he still had not felt his face getting hot, so for the meantime he could hide the blush that had surely crept up in the back of his neck. 

“Oh! Yeah, thats fine.” Chanhee set his bag down on the island before turning back to Jaehyun. “You know i really don’t do anything special with him. And you’re doing perfectly fine yourself. More than fine actually, you’re doing really well.”

Jaehyun grinned at that and Chanhee couldn’t help but make his own smile bigger. Jaehyun had a cute smile that often extended to his eyes and made them turn to crescents, small creases appearing in the corners. 

“Yeah, you tell me that often. Still, I’m curious about what you do.”

“I mainly just talk to him.” Chanhee walked towards the hyacinth and m oved him onto the island. He pulled the ruler out of his bag and stuck it into the dark earth. “His growth seems to be slowing which is fine. He’s already a little bigger than expected so there’s no problem.” Jaehyun nodded and sat across from him, placing his laptop in front of him. “When was the last time you fed him plant food?”

“Yesterday. So I won’t need to for another few days.”

Chanhee nodded, wiping the excess soil off the end of the ruler and retrieving his own laptop. He documented Hyunjun’s growth, only three millimeters from his last visit. There wasn’t much else for him to do and he felt awkward talking to the hyacinth with Jaehyun around. Chanhee but his bottom lip softly, contemplating if he should pull out his jewelry making set out or not. If he didn’t, he’d have no distraction from the blond in front of him. He pulled out one of his earring kits and laid the pieces out in front of him. 

“What are those?” Jaehyun was looking at the earring kit, a small smile on his face. 

“It’s just a hobby of mine. I make jewelry in my free time.”

Something seemed to click in Jaehyun’s mind because he lifted his sleeve slightly, exposing the hyacinth charm bracelet Chanhee had gifted to him and Hyunjun. 

“Did you make these too?”

Seeing the blond wear something he had made and being under the blond’s gaze and made Chanhee’s body grow hot. His eyes were soft and twinkling and with an added complement of his smile, he was calming. Jaehyun made him feel comfortable, and he guessed that ability helped him a lot in his line of work. So Chanhee smiled back.

“I made the chain, yes. I had to order the enamel charms online though. I don’t have the equipment to make things like that.”

Jaehyun nodded, looking down at the charm fondly. “I wanted to thank you for them. They’re beautiful.”

The pink haired man bit his lip, shaking his bangs into his eyes a bit before focusing back on his earrings. “Thank you, I’m glad you liked them.”

Silence fell over the two of them, however it wasn’t awkward. It was warm and pleasant. The only sounds came from the jingle of charms and tapping of Jaehyun’s keyboard. A few minutes passed before Chanhee noticed the furrow in the blond’s brow, his eyes focused on the screen of his computer. 

“Is everything okay?”

He looked up and smiled again, thought this time it seemed more to calm himself down than the other. “I’m just dealing with this case, it’s nothing.”

Chanhee didn’t want to pry into the other’s work so he left it at that. Still he watched the blond, and watched how he seemed to get more and more irritated the more he stared at his screen. 

Hyunjun squeaked a bit from his pot, the two adults realizing they had been neglecting the flower this whole time. The pink haired man wasn’t able to share his thoughts with the hyacinth, mainly because the majority of them were about Jaehyun, and divulging those while he sat in the same room would only lead his death by embarrassment. 

“I’m sorry but since you’re here, I hope you don’t mind if I leave early today?”

Jaehyun looked up from his laptop, a flash of an emotional Chanhee couldn’t read appearing before getting replaced with his ‘social-worker-smile’. “Yeah, of course. Have a nice day, Chanhee.”

He didn’t know why the other’s words sent warmth to his gut but they did and Chanhee tried his best to suppress the giddy smile that wanted to show. He bid farewell to Hyunjun, who tapped his finger with a leaf and looked at the father once more before exiting his apartment. 

He sat in his car once again but didn’t leave the lot. Instead, he knocked his head onto the horn of the wheel, the sound blaring for a few seconds. He sighed and looked into the rear view mirror, a small red mark maring his pale forehead. 

_ So what if Lee Jaehyun was extremely attractive? _


End file.
